Distributer for ignition devices.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT- I5| I916.

Patented May 15, 1917.

2 sHEETS-SHEET I.

aim 1x56;

ClIIotnu C. T. MASON.

DISTRIBUTER FOR IGNITION DEVICES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5, I916.

Patented May15, 1917 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

mums 'rrHoMAsMAsoN, or sum'rnn, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOB r srm'rnonr ELECTRICAL COMPANY, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

"msrnmnrnn Eon IGNITION DEVICES.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Application filed September 15, 1916. Serial Ne. 120,320.

I T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES -THOMAS MAsoN, a citizen of the United'Sta'tes, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Distributers for Ignition Devices, of which the following'fis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to new and useful I improvements in distributers. for ignition systems and more particularly to a dis-- tributer for highte-nslon currents.

4 The invention is particularly useful in distributing in .a simple and eflicient man: er high tension current to a plurality of translating devices such as the spark plugs in ages engine. we I In my prior application Serial Number 35,155, filed June 19th, 1916, I have shown, described and claimed a method and apparatus for generating and distributing elec-- tric current inconiiection with an ignition system. for an "internal combustion engine.

The resent invention is an improvementon the istributing device shown'therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a distributer for ignition systems of the above character wherein the central stem or trunk conductor may be stationary and have con tinuouslconnectlon wlth a series of c1rcularly disposed contacts which in turn are adaptedto be connected at predetermined intervals withv other contacts orterminals leading to thetranslati'n devices.

' A further object of t e invention is to provide a 'distributer of the above character vwherein the traveling contacts are so ar-" ranged as to be readily accessible for inspection, durin the rotation of the fdistributer.

"A still ,urthel' object of the-invention is to 'providea distributer having three cir- 'cular" rows of contacts, the-contacts ofthe ceiving current from a source of supply, to-

central rowfjbein continuously connected to each other. and a so to a trunk conductor reether-with means for alternately connectmg said central row of contacts to the respective outer rows of contacts which 1n turn are connected to the translating dGVlCQS. A still further object of the invention Is to provide a distributer of the above character wherein the trunk conductor is stationary and connected by movable means A with the central rows of contacts which means makes continuous connection with at least two of the contacts.

.These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. F

In the drawings, which show byway of illustration one embodiment of the inven- Fig. 3 isa perspective view'of the outer shell of a casing; and

Fig.4 is a perspective" view of the inner rotating part of the distributer;

My improved distributer is. especially adapted to be used in connection with high tension currents for furnishing current to of an internal combustion engine. The current supply may be receivedfrom any suitable source, although I have shown in the drawings a magneto or ignition dynamo for generating the current which is of the well known Dixie. type.

The current isreceived by a trunk conductor which is fixed against movement. The distributer consists of an outer casing which is preferably cylindrical in form and an inneg rotating part. The outer casing is supplie with three circular rows of contactsor brushes the inner rows of which are connected together while the outer rows are connected to the respective translating devices or spark plugs. rotating part carries a contact member whlc is connected continuously with the trunk conductor and this contact member is adapted to engage slmultaneously two or more of the contacts or brushes in the central row above referred to. In this way current; is continuously supplied to this central' 'row of. contacts. The. inner rotating part also carries. two pairs of contacts, one contact of each pair 80 translating devices such as the spark plugs is adapted to alternately engage the central row of brushes or contacts while the other contacts in said pairs cooperate respectively and alternately with the outer rows of brushes or contacts connected with the trans-- my improved distributer consists of an outer magneto.

of current this trunk conductor is connected suitable devices to a carrier shell or casing cylindrical in form. ing 1 neto, which is indicated at 2. Suitably secured to this casing-1 is a bearing member 3 which is formed with a projecting sleeve 4. This Sleeve is preferably integral with the bearing member 3. Extending through the sleeve 1 is a bushing orsupport 5 of 1, which as above noted, is

This outer shell or casinsulating material which has aeentra-l opening extending entirely therethrough and located in this central opening is a stem or trunk conductor 6. 4

Said trunk conductor 6 carries a spring pressed contact 7 at its inner end which is adapted to make contact with the terminal of the secondary ofv a current generating coil 8, when said distributer is used with a When used with another source to said source.

Located within the casing 1 is a rotating part or member 9' which is preferably made of insulating material the same as the easing 1 and this rotating-part 9 is secured by 10' having a gear 11 which meshes with a gear 12 mounted on the shaft of the-magneto. The distribw ter as shown in .the drawings is designed for supplying current to a twelve cylinder gas engine, as will appear more fully hereinafter. W'hensaid distributer is used in connection with a magneto having four E. M. F. peaks at each rotation, the magneto shaft is timed so as to rotate one and onehalftimes the engine 11 and 12 are so proportioned that the gear 11 will be driven at a speed ratio of one to three of the magneto shaft or one to two of the engine shaft. The carrier 10 is mounted on ball bearings 13 which are supported by the sleeve 4 abovereferred to; T The casing 1 is providedwith a series of recesses or wells in which are mounted contact members or brushes. '"These contact membersor brushes are arranged in three circular rows. brushes13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. In the middle 'row' there are also six contact brushes or members, three of which are indicated at 19, 20 and 21, Fig. 3. This row of contacts are eonnected'together as indicated bythe dotted line in Fig. 3. Theinner row'of conis carried by theframe of the magspeed and the gears In the outer row :there are 3 of the drawings.

Individual cable's 2 1,25,-2(i,etc., are connected to the front row of contacts or brushes 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 "and 18, while individual cables 27, 28-, 29 etc., are connected to the inner row of contactsfor'brushes 22 and 23. These cables'ma'y be connected to the contacts or brushesin'anysuitable manner and theirouter endsare connected to the translating devices or spark plugs.

. As above noted,-all of the central, row of brushes or contacts are electrically connect,

ed as indicated by the dotted lines and these contacts are adapted; to be engaged by a contact member 30; carried by the rotating part 9. Said, contact member 30 isofs'ufficient length to makecontact simultaneously with at'leasttwO of the contacts or. brushes of the central row. 'Said'fcontact member [30 also extends radially, of thexro-.

tating part 9 and is connected to a plate 31 against which a This yielding contact is an extension of the trunk conductor or stem 6. The trunk conyielding contact 32 presses.

ductor or, stem 6 is, therefore connected through this plate'31 and the contact 30 with the'central row of contacts which are each connected together, thus forming'a live row of contacts.

A pair of contacts33 and-3i is mounted on the rotating part '9, the 'cont'act33 -being inthesame plane-asthecontact- 3O, as

indicated by the broken line in Fig. 4. The

contact 33' is not, however, electrically connected with the contact 30.

' This rotating part9 carries a secondpair of contacts 35 and 36 and the contact 35isin the same plane as the'contact 30., The

contact 34 is located at the inner side of this central plane containing the contacts '33, 30 and 35 while the contact 36 is located at the outer .side of this plane. In other words, the contact 34: is so disposed as to cooperate with the contacts or brushes in the inner row carried by the outercasing'while the conthe contacts or brushes in the outer row carried by the casing. The pairs of contacts are also'so'disposed that they are alternately in engagement with the contacts or brushes In other "words, when carried by the casing. the contacts 35 and 36-are in engagement -with the pair of contactsor brushes onthe casing then the contacts 33and 34 are midmovement thereof so that these contacts or brushes are free from engagement with the outer face of the rotating part .9 but make any desired construction and. are

tact 36 is so located as to cooperate with engagement with the thereby.

' It is thought that the operation of my improved distributer'will be obvious from the above description. A suitable source of cur- I rent supply is connected with the trunk-conductor and the inner rotating part is geared to the engine shaft by a suitable train of mechanism so that it i's-rotated; at a speed io-ratioof one to two of the engine shaft. As

240 this furnishes current to the connected trans I "lating device on spark plug. At the same timethe'c'ontacts' 35gand- 36'are out of en- ,gagem'ent with the central row of contacts and .theouter row of contacts.-

I 5 :When'the rotating part 9 turns through a fcertain 'angle then the contacts 33 and 34 .will move away-from engagement with the contacts-or, brushes and the con acts 35 and,

' 36 will befbrwghtinto engagement with a contact orbrush in the central row and a 'contact or brushin the'outeri row and as these contacts and 36 are electricallyconnected current will then be'furnishedto the translat- ,i'ng -device* or, sparl; plug; conne'ctedito the". 5 brush or contact, engaged by" the contact. 36, f

i As thispart- 9 continues its rotation it Twill be "apparent that first a contact or brush in one row will be electrically connected tothe cen t-ral row 1 of contacts or brushes and then; ag 4 contact or brush in the other row will be con v nected theretofand, therefora'these pairs of contacts- Onther tating'part-Q engage alter; nately the respective inner and outer rows of contacts and when said rotating; part -9 has made a complete rotation ea'ch on'eof the .dividu'al "ca les' will} have been electrically connected-with the sour-65 9f supply.

;""Attached to-the casing -1 by' any suitable means is-:a cap plate 37 of insulating ma-. 2 teria'l and this cap plate may removed without disturbing the contacts or brushes jandwhe'nremoved it will be'apparent that the contacts or brushes are open to ins'pection fwhile thedistributer is running. v Particular-attention is called- :to the fact that the trunk conductor or stem 6- is' sta-' tionary and makes contact withthe rotating part" substantially at its axis of rotation so thatthere is little or no wear between these fid-parts. -This is accomplished bypassing the trunk conductor through thelbearing sleeve for the gear which operates the rotatin part, and the mounting and supporting o the rotating part on ,gear orcarrier therefor,

contacts carried I tating part 9 is. mounted-on-a ball bearing cludingin combination a trunk conductor together and to the trunk conductor, cables J-lating devices, a rotating part located with- Furthermore, will be noted that the rowhich is supported by a sleeve formed integral with the frame of the machine.

Again, it will be noted that the high ten- 7 sion current circuit is-broken at two places, ,namely, between the central row of contacts or brushes and the contacts on the rotating v vpart which cobperate therewith and also between the brushes or contacts connected with the translating devices and the respective contacts on the rotating part which cooperate therewith. In other words, there are always two gaps made in the secondary high tension circuit when it is broken.

. v 86 It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the ap ended claims.

aving thus" described my invention, whatl claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. -A 'distribut'er forignition "systems inadapted to be connected with a source of tacts arranged in circular rows, means for connecting the contacts in one of said rows connected with the remaining rows of contacts and adapted to be connected to translating devices, a plurality of pairs of traveling, connected contacts arranged so that adapted to beconnected with a source of current, a casing having a plurality of contacts arranged in circular rows, means for connecting the contacts'in one of said rows together and to the trunk conductor, cables connected with the remaining rows of con tacts and adapted to be connected to transin said casing and having a plurality of pairs of. traveling connected contacts arranged so-that one contact or each pair will engage alternately the contacts connected to the trunk conductor while the other contacts of each pair engage respectively and alternately the contacts connected with the translating devices.

3. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination a trunk conductor; adapted to be connected with a source of current, a casing having a plurality of contacts arranged in circular rows, means for connecting the contacts in one of said rows together and to the trunk conductor, cables 13 connected with the remaining rows of contacts and adapted to be connected to translating devices, a rotating part located within said casing and having a plurality of pairs of traveling connected contacts arranged so that one contact of each pair will engage alternately the contacts connected to the trunk conductor while the other contacts of each .pair engage respectively and alternately the contacts connected with the translating devices, a cap plate connected to said casing closing the end thereof and covering said rotating part.

4. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination a trunk conductor adapted to be connected with a source of current, a casing havin'g'a' plurality of con-' tacts arranged in three circular rows, a rotating part located Within said casing, means for connecting the central row of said contacts, means carried byv the rotating part for connecting saidcentral row of contacts to the trunkyconductor, a plurality of pairs of contacts carried by said and having a yielding contact at its outer end, a part mounted to rotate upon said sleeve, a plate located centrally of the rotating part and adaptedto be engaged by said yielding contact, a contact carried by the outer face of said rotating part electrically connected with said plate, an outer casing surrounding said rotating part, a plurality of circular rows of brushes carried by the outer casing and normally projecting slightly beyond the inner face thereof, means for connecting the brushes of-the central row, cables connected to the brushes of the outer rows and adapted to be conne oted with translating devices respectively, said central row of brushes being adapted to engage the contact member on the rotating part whereby said brushes are continuously connected with the trunk conductor, pairs of contacts carried by the rotating part and disposed'so that one contact in each pair is adapted to engage alternately the brushes in the central row, while the other contacts of each pair engage respectively and alternately thebrushes in the outer rows.

6. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination a bearing sleeve, a rotating part, an operating gear connected thereto, ball bearing's for supporting said gear and rotating part on said sleeve, a trunk conductor extending centrally through said and having a yielding outer end, a rotating cluding in combination sleeve, a contact carried by the rotating part and continuously connected with said trunk conductor, an outer casing, a plurality of circular rows of brushes carried by the outer casing and disposed so that the central row thereof is connected with said contact on the rotating part, means for connecting the central row of brushes with each other, pairs of contacts carried by said rotating part and arranged so that one contact of each pair is adapted to alternately engage the brushes 7 in-the central row While the other contacts of said pairs respectively and alternately engage'brushes in the outer rows.

- 7. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination a bearing sleeve, a rotating part, an operating gear connected thereto, ball bearings for supporting said gear and rotating part on said sleeve, a trunk conductor extending centrally through said sleeve, a contact carried by the rotatingpart and continuously connected with said trunk conductor, an outer casing, a lurality of circular rows of brushes carried y the outer casing and disposed so that the central row thereof is connected with said contact on the rotating part, means for connecting the central row of brushes with each other, pairs of contacts carried by said rotating part andarranged so that one contactv of each pair is.

adapted to alternately engage the brushes "in the central row while the other contacts of said pairs respectively and alternately engage brushes in the outer rows, said contact on the rotating part for connecting the trunk conductor with the central row of brushes being so constructed as to simultaneously engage at least two of said brushes. i 8. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination a supporting sleeve, a bushing extending therethrough, a trunk conductor extending through the bushing contact member at its part having a contact onits outer face, a plate located centrally of said rotating part against which said yielding contact bears, said plate being connected to the contact on the outer face of the rotating part and devices cooperating with said contact on the outer face of the rotating part for distributing the current from the trunk conductor to the plurality of translating devices. r

9. A. distributerwfor ignition systems inan inner rotating part, an outer casing, a lurality of circular rows of brushes carried y said outer casing,

means for connecting the central row of brushes,

a'trunk conductor, means for connectin said trunk conductor to said central row 0 brushes, pairs of contacts carried by said rotating part, said pairs of contacts being so disposed that one contact of each pair engages a ternately the brushes in the central row while the other contacts of said pairs engage alternately and respectively the brushes in the outer rows.

10. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination a rotating part and 5 a fixed part, one of said parts having a plurality of rows of brushes, means for connecting the brushes in one of said rows, the other part having two pairs of contacts, said pairs of contacts being so disposed that one contact in each pair engages alternately the 10 connected brushes while the other contacts of said pairs engage alternately and respectively the brushes of the other rows.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

CHARLES THOMAS MASON. 

